USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. II. Second Edition > Part 17
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BRETHREN-Wee are sory and Extreamly greeved for ye murther Lately Committed by ye french upon our Brethren of Schinnectady wee Esteem this evill as if done to ourselfs being all in one Covenant chain But what they have done is by way of Stelth by way of Robbery unawars our brethren of New England will be sorry to hear of this sad dissaster, but we must not be discouraged give a belt of wampam according to there custome to' wipe of the tears®
2 Brethren Wee Lament and Condole the death of so many of our brethren so basely murtherd at Shinnectady, . we cannot accompt it a great victory for itt is done by way of Deceit He (meaning ye governor of Canida) comes to our Country by his messengers at onondage and speaks of Peace with ye whole house quite hither. But warr is in his heart as yow fynde by woful Experience but what shall we say it is ye same as he did at Cadarachqui and ye Sin- nekes Country this ye third time that he hes done so; he hes this is ye third time Broke open ye gevell of our house on both ends ye one end at Sinnondowanne and ye oyr here but we hope to be revenged there is one hundred of our young men out still who will Pursue them to there doors at · Canida nay ye french shall not be able Cutt a Stick of wood we will lay soe Close seige to them we doe now gather ye . Dead together in order to There Interrment a manner of speaking amongst them doe give a belt of wampum
3 Wee are come here from our Castles with tears in our Eys to bemoan ye murther Committed by ye Perfidious french at Schinnectady our young Indians are gone out in Pursute of them and while we are now Bussy in Burying
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the dead yt were murtherd there we may have bad news yt our people are gone out may be killed also ye same yt is befallen yu'may befall us; we doe therefore come and bury our Brethren at Schennectady doe give a belt of wampum according to there custome
4 Great is ye Mischaffe yt is befallen us it is come from ye heavens upon us were taught by our fore: fathers when any Sad accident or Dissaster doth befall any of ye Covenant to goe with all Convenient speed to Bemoan there death, doe give a Belt of wampum which they call a belt of Vige- lance that is not to have too much thought on what is done yt Cannot be Remedied but to be watchful for ye future and give Eye water to make ye Brethren Sherpe Sighted
5 Wee come to y" house where we usually doe Renew ve Covenant which house we fynde Defiled with blood this is knowne to all ye 5 nations and we are come to wipe off ye blood and Sweep ye house clean and therefore pray yt Cor- laer and all they yt are in office here in albany nameing ye mayor whom they call pieter mr wessells and mr Living- ston may use all means and derect all affairs to be re- venged of ye Enemy that have done us this Evill doe give a belt of wampum
6 Brethr : Doe not be discouraged this is butt a begin- ning of ye warr we are strong eneugh the whole house have there Eyes fixed upon yrs and they only stay your motion and will be ready to doe what ever shall be resolved upon by our Brethren, our Covenant is a firm Covenant it is a Silver Chain and cannot be broke we are resolute and will Continue ye warr we will not leave off if there were but 30 men of us left we will Proceed Therefore pray take good heart Doe not Pack and goe away if ye Enemy should hear yt it would much Encourage them wee are of ye Race of ye Bear and a bear doth not yeald as long as there is a droop of blood in its body we must all be soe doe give a belt of wampum
7 Brethren Be Content Look up to ye heavens from thence ye Judgement is come now upon us be not discouraged ye some hand yt hath chastised us can heal us ; the sunn which now hath been Cloudy and sent us this dissaster will shinne again and with its Pleasant Beams Comfort us Be Incou- raged with many Repetitions doe give a bevir skin
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8 Wee are Engaged in a bloody warr with ye french about 3 years agoe and were Incouraged to proceed and no sooner were well Entred and gott prisoners but a Cessation Came and Corlaer meaning Col : dongan hindred us to pro- ceed and demanded ye prisoners from us we were obedient and deliver them and layed doune ye hatchet which if we might have gone foreward then the french would not have been in yt Capacity to doe so much mischeeffe as they doe but now we must dye Such obstructions will Ruine us; if we might have had our wills we would have prevented there planting Sowing and Reaping and brought them low and mean Neverthelesse lett us be stedfast and not take such measures again lett us goe one briskly with ye warr doe give a Bever Skinn
9 Wee Recommend ye brethren to keep good watch and if any Enemies come take care yt messengers be more speedily sent to us then lately was done we would not ad- vise ye brethren quite to desert Shinnectady but to make a fort there The enemy would be too glorious to See it quite desolate and yr Toune is not well fortifyed ye Stockadoes are so short ye Indians can jump over them like a dogg doe give a bever skinn
10 This mischeeffe is done at Shinnectady and it Cannot bee helped but asoon as any Enemy Comes let nothing hin- der yr speedy sending to us ye news by Posts and fyreing great gunnes yt all may be alarmd and our advise is yt yr gett all ye River Indians who are under yr subjection to come and Live neer unto yr to be ready on all occasions and send word to n: England of all and lend us there helping hand ; lett us not be discouraged ye french are not so many as people talk off if we but minde our buissinesse they can be subdued with ye assistance of our neighbours of N : England whose Intrest it is to drive on this warr as much as ours yt it may be speedily ended
Wee Desyre yt ye brethren may Recommend ye Smiths not to be dear in repareing our arms since money is so scarce and we only goe to warring and not to hunting we shall take care to warn ye Sinnekes and ye nations living above us to be in Readinesse for we being one they hearken to us and tell of N : England yt we shall take care yt ye upper nations be Ready for our security and assistance and lett them be
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ready also with Ships and great gunns by water and we will plague bim by land we are resolved not to goe out a hunting but to minde ye warr for ye sooner ye french be fallen upon ye better before they gett men and provisions from france as there usual custome is doe give a bever Skinn
ANSWER upon ye maquase Sachims Propositions by ye mayor aldermen and Commonality of ye Citty of albany and Military officers of ye sd Citty and County att the Citty hall ye 26 february 168
BRETHREN - Your Coming heir according to the Custom of your ancestors to Condole ye death of the brethren mur- thred at Shinnectady is very acceptable, whereby your Inclination to wards us is demonstrate, wee must acknowledge that they did not keep so good watch as they ought Consi- dereing what a false and deceitfull Enemy they had to deal with all but that which made them secure was ye great trust they repossed in the 45 maquase who came heire and tendred there service to goe and be ye out watch and to spy ye Enemy, which end powder and lead was given them as they understood wee wer about hyreing of Christians to send thither but wer un happily Deverted by the sd Companie off maquase who promised to have four posts ready two to goe to there own Country and two to runn hither if any Enemy should appear for the Brethren did assur us that no french Could Come heir without beeing Discouered and then would all fall Into our hands wee are likewise mindfull how yt ye 5 nations last fall when the gentlmen of new England were heir did declare how they would Encompasse the french of Canida that they should not break out this winter without being Discoverd and fallen upon and die - likewise propose by our messeinggers arnout and Rob Sanders at the generall meeting of onnondage to have 307: 400 men sent hither to be Readie on all occasions but see non
Now Brethren this Evill is done and Cannot bee Called back again, and ye only meanes the prevent ye Like for the futur is to keep good watch and to have good Courage to oppose and resist ye Enemy wee are no wayes Discomfitted for this misfortune It is ye fortun of warr wee doe not feare to be Even with the french in a short time wee have alredy
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sent Letters to all our nighbours of n: England , Virginia and maryland the subjects of ye great king of England and acquainted them of the Evill done heir by the french and how requisite it is yt ships be fitted out with all Convenient speed to goe to quebek and to presse the bussinese there more wee doe now send prisoners to N : Yorke and n : England on purpose to lay open the Case before them &a to move them to Rigg out vessels not only to hinder succor comeing from france but to take Quebek itt Self as also to send more men hither y' we may then send men along with yw to annoy ye Enemy in there Country : In ye mean time we recommend ye brethren to Send for 200 men from ye upper nations to joyn with yw to keep ye french in Continu- all allarm and doe them what mischeeffe imagineable and the onnondage and Sinnekes must goe doune ye river of Cadar. achqui and meet on onoyr about Mont Royall and annoy ye Enemy there ; we shall in ye mean while fortify ye toune and put our Selfs in a good posture of defence yt we may not be surprized as they of Shinnechtady were and make all preparations to oppose ye Enemy
The Brethren see yt we are in warr with france now there is no time to speak of peace the french as you will observe have fallen on both end of ye Chain Butt not broke it lett us keep ye Covenant so much ye faster which never hes had ye crak since ye verry first ye Christians came here They strove to lull us all asleep by there Messengers at onnon- dage Speaking of peace and then they were upon ye way hither to Commit this murther The brethren need not fear for a Cessation to hinder us to Pursue ye Enemy for as we told yw before ye king yt ordered that was a papist and a great frinde of ye french but our psent Great king will pursue ye warr to ye uttmost therefore we must all prepare for warr. It well there fore be verry requisite that ye brethern for there better Security come and plant this sum- mer att Shinnechtady upon ye Land yt kannot be Cultivate this year that we may be near to on onoyr upon any occasion Concerning yr Proposition of ye Skachkook Indians tis Concluded on some days agoe to propose to ye Skachkook Indians ye Planting on Marte gerritse Island hard by ye toune and ye River Indians ytlived below shall also come together to be ready on all occasions
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Wee must Insist and recommend yw to perswade there of oneyde to Send ye Priest hither for yw have Seen how dangerous it is to have such persones among yw who Informs ye Enemy of all yr doings and discovers all our desyns we shall secure him yt he runn not away and when ye ouner demands him and ye troubles are over shall be deliverd for he can doe more harm in oneyde then 100 men
We think it Convenient yt one or two of yr Sachims stay here and yt a Sachim of each nation be here to assist in ye management of ye affaires of ye. warr
was give them 6 belt of wampum Some Duffells Tobaccy and some baggs with Provision
After ye proposition was answerd they gave a shout according to ye Custome which Signified amen they would Continue ye warr to the uttmost
After ye sd answer
The Maquase Sachims sd you [have heard] repeated our answer we are [going to pursue the Enemy and] are not discouraged A mistake can [be committed] by ye best and wisest of men and we [are resolved] now to persue ye warr with all Vigour, We have a hundred men out in persute of ye Enemy still who are good skouts in ye mean time, we Expect all ye Sachims of ye upper nations to Consult with us, who will come to Condole ye death of our brethren murtherd at Schinnectady you need not fear our being ready wee are soon fitted out our ax is in our hands butt take care of yr selfs to be in Readinesse the Shipps y' must doe principall worke ar long a fitteing out and Rigging we doe not design to goe out with a small troop as skouts but as soon as ye nations come together we well goe with a whole army to Ruine ye french Country ; ye bussinesse must be soone brought to a Pereod therefore send in all haste to N : England for we nor yw cannot live long in this Condition we must order it soe yt ye french be in a Continuall fear and alarm and yt ye way to be in Peace here Concerning y" Skachkook Indians in our opinion they lye well where they are as a good watch they are our Childeren we will take good care y! they doe there duty but as for ye Indians yt Live below ye toune them we mean must be sent for up and gott to plant .. and live together to be alwayes in Readinesse upon occasion
This is a true Copy Examind
pr ROBT LIVINGSTON
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Att a meeting &c. albany February 26th 1688 Present as before, also, L : v. Shaik Ev. Banker M. gerritse Lt abr Schuyler R. Sanders gabriel Thompson & Capt Bull.
WHEREAS it is thougt Convenient yt all fences & Timber be Removed 60 Paces from ye City Stockadoes, you are therefore hereby Required in there Majesties name to warn all people yt have there fences & Timber or oyr materials so neer ye outside of ye fence whereby ye Sight Rounde ye Toune walls is hindred to Remove ye same in 24 hours time, else must be Removed at there Cost actum in albany ye 26th day of feb 168 9
Pr order of ye Civill & Military officers
To R : Pretty Esqr high Sherriffe of ye Citty & County of Alb :
RT LIV: CI
-
Att a meeting &c. albany Feb 27th 1689
The Bussinesse being taken into Consideration concern- ing Sending agents to N : Yorke & New England to acquaint them off affares here, and to Desyre assistance for ye Pre- servation of there Majesties Intrest in these parts it was putt to ye vote
And these following vote for a Person to be sent to N : Yorke & one to N : England Pr Schuyler Mayor C. Jan Janse Bleeker Reynier Barents D. Wessells C. Jochim Staets albt. Ryckman C. Sanders Glenn Claes Ripse gabriel Thomson Johannes Cuyler Liv van Shaik Evert Banker, abr : Shuyler Kiliaen van Renselaer Robt Sanders
It is voted by 7 votes yt Joh : Cuyler goe to N : Yorke 5 votes yt Reynier Barents goe & 2 y' Livinus van Shaik goe
It was Resolved nemine Contradicente yt Robt Livingston goe with all Convenient Speed to Canetticut and Boston, & declare ye Condition of this County, & desyre yt all En- devors may be used to Rigg out vessells towards Quebek, & Prevent all succor comeing from france & and to Request ye assistance of fifty men and one hundred Barrells of Porke and Beefe, & if no men can be obtained then £400 in money & yt Commission & Instructions be given him accord- ingly
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It is thougt Convenient to write to ye gent of ye County of Ulster yt one of ye gent yt was lately here be desyred to goe to N . England with Robt Livingston our agent to moove ye gentlemen there in ye behalfe of yt County for all Possible aid as above
And yt by no means ye Companie of Capt Bull be draune off but stay here till a governor Comes or further order from there Majesties for our Releeffe
Robt Livingston desyred to be Excused from goeing to N : England not judgeing himself cappable of mannageing a Bussinesse of yt moment : but if ye gent would not excuse him yt he might take Capt gerrit Teunise along with him, who knew most of ye gent of ye neighbouring Collony which was graunted
Resolved Since Johannes Cuyler Refuses yt Reynier Barents with all Convenient Speed goe to Sopus & there in our name Request Capt Garten or one of ye gentlemen yt were Last here to goe to Boston along with Capt Livingston & Capt gerrit Teunise agents to Procure ye assistance of 50 men and Provisions, and if no men can be Procured, to Pro- cure some money, and use all Pressures Imaginable yt Ship- ping may be Equipd to goe to invade Canida, & yt ye sd Person may be at Catskill on Munday night in order to proceed on ye journey, ye sd Mr Barents is to us all Endeavors with ye gent of Sopus to Procure 50 men with Provisions for our assistance as also 500 skepels of Indian Corn for there Majesties account for ye Indians yt goe out to warr against ye french, & Comeing to N : Yorke ye sd Barents is to inform them of affares there & Insist with ye authority there for ye assistance of men provisions & money, according to instructions which shall be given him.
Resolved that for ye easier management of ye Present affares in this juncture yt 6 persones out of ye .Convention be appointed to order matters who are Dirk Wessells Re- corder L : van Shaik Capt Jan Bleeker Capt Marte gerritse Reynier Barents Evert Banker which sd Persones are for ye future to take ye Charge of doeing all Publike Bissinesse in . this County
Orderd yt ye following Instructions be given to Mr. Reynier Barents bounde to N : Yorke who not understand- ing English desyre yt they might be in Dutch.
Annals, i.
17
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[Translation.]
INSTRUCTIONS given by the Civil & Military officers of the City and County of Albany to Reynier Barents one of the Common Council of this city, who is sent to N : York as their Agent.
1. You shall go with all Convenient Speed to the Sopus and there in our name instantly require Capt. Garten or one of the gentlemen who were recently here, to accompany Rob Livingston our Agent to N. England, and there pro- cure if possible the assistance of 50 men with Provisions, and if no people can be spared, to request money to aid in assisting the King and Queens cause in this County and that all means be used to persuade them to equip ships to invade Canada, and to the End that the said journey may be most speedily prosecuted he will please notify said agent from the Esopus to be next Monday at Catskill with Capt Gert Teunise where our Agent shall be to proceed to- gether by Tachkanick to Harford, Conveying the horses over from Cattskill.
2. You are to use all means to perswade the gentlemen of the Sopus to send 50 men to our assistance with provision, and if 50 cannot be obtained, then 30.
3. You will acquaint the gentlemen in the Sopus with all the circumstances here and how necessary it is that we have 500 Skepels of Maize for Supplying the Indians, re- questing that they be pleased to send hither together a like quantity for their Majesties acct There shall be no doubt but such shall be thankfully paid for at the first settling.
4 When arrived at N. York you will have to wait on the Governor if he be arrived, otherwise on the authority there, and inform them pertinently of all the circumstances that have occurred especially here since our last letters of the 15th inst that the Indians and Christians who pursued the French, could not bring them back.
5. That they bring all their sea force together to unite with our neighbours of Boston to attack Canada.
6. That we require people here to defend this place; also some young Frieslanders (frissemaets) to accompany the Indians as these Complain that no Christians go with them & that they shall act in like manner by our young men.
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7 That we here cannot subsist without supplies to wit of Meat & Pork with Corn if things are to prosper here-that provision be therefore sent up with the people.
8. That you do also inform them how badly off this city is for money to defray the publick expenses which are daily so onerous that they cannot be met, and that £ - - - be sent us for the King's Service
9 That you do Set all this fully before them according to the merits of the case, and beseech them to lay aside all animosities and divisions and that every one exert his power to crush the Common Enemy.
10. That you keep an exact account of your expenses during this journey which will be allowed you by the public.
By the Convention of the Civill & military officers of ye Citty & County of Albany
WHEREAS it is thougt convenient yt a fit Person be Com- missionated to goe to N : Yorke to Communicate to ye autho- rity there ye State & Condition of this Place and Confideing in ye Integrity and fidelity of Reynier Barents one of ye assistants of this Citty & a member of our Convention, have Desyred and authorized him with all Convenient Speed to goe to N : Yorke & to hasten there aid of men provisions & money for ye Preservation of there Majesties' Intrest in these parts & to use all Pressing Endevors that they may joyn with our neighbours of N : England to fitt out vessells to annoy ye french at Canida Earnestly Desyreing y1 ye sd Reynier Barents may be Reputed and Esteemed as our agent in that Behalfe, Ratefyeing & Confirming whatever he shall act or doe about ye p'mises, given under our hands & Sealls in albany ye 20th day of february 1682 and in ye first year of ye Reign of our Souvraign Lord & Lady William & Mary king and Queen of England &a-1688
Ordered yt ye following Instructions be Delivered to Robt Livingston & he Desyred to Proceed in his journey for N : England with all Expedition
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INSTRUCTIONS for Robert Livingston Gentleman Sent by ye Convention of ye Civill & Military officers of ye Citty & County of albany to be there agent in n : England
1 Yow are to goe with ye first Conveniency to Canetticut along with Captain Gerrit Teunise and such Person as ye Gent : of ye County of Ulster shall appoint to joyn with yu in this bussinesse, & if no such Person come to Catskill as is appointed then with ye sd Captain Gerrit Teunise & Com- municate to ye Governor & Councill of Canetticut the state of affares here, & in what Danger this Part of there Majes- ties Territory is in, if not speedily assisted by our neigh- bours,
2 Yow are to acquaint them how Requisite it is yt some sudden means be used to fitt out vessells to goe to Canida and Invade Quebek which is ye Easier and surer way then by Land, since Quebek is but meanly fortified, & few men there, ye stretch of Canida being Drawn up to mont Royall which ye french have fortified.
3 Yow are to make ye addresse to ye sd Governor & Coun- cill of Canetticut for ye assistance of fifty Brisk young men or more fitt for traveling in ye woods to goe out upon occa- sion with our People and ye Indians to annoy ye Enemy
4 After yu have discoursed of ye mean Condition of this Place & how Scarce Provisions are like to be the farmers leaveing there habitations, since ye murther Committed at Shinnectady ; where great store of all sorts of Provisions was Destroyed, then yu are to Desyre ye quantity of one hundred Barrells of Porke or Beefe Equivalent for there Majesties use to be Employed as occasion shall Require for there Majesties Troops that lye in garrison here for ye Defence of this part of ye Country
5 If ye governor & Councill of Canetticut doe Decline to send any more men or no Provisions hither then yu are to Insist yt ye Companie of Captain Bull stay here till further order from there Majesties since it would be of Dangerous Consequence to draw off sd Companie at this juncture & Raise jealousies among ye Indians, while they are so Eager for more men to Pursue ye warr against ye french.
6 Yow are to goe from Canetticut to Boston and apply yr Self to ye governor and Councill there, & Inform them
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of all affares here, what dammage ye french have done & what Subtle Practices they use to draw of ye 5 nations of Indians from there Dependance on ye Imperiall Croune of England to side with ye french & how dangerous it would be to there Majesties Intrest if sd nations should hearken to ye Enemy.
7 That ye only means to Secure there Countryes from ye Incursions of ye french and there Indians would be to Equipp & Rigg out some vessells with men to Invade Quebek, & to p'vent all Supplyes comeing from france whereby ye french. will; be Discomfited and our Indians Incouraged to Pursue ye warr by Land.
8 That we of this government are not able to Resist ye Power of Canida, without ye assistance of our neighbors, & therefore Desyre y fifty men or more may be Speedily sent hither for ye Defence of ye Place and to Pursue ye Enemy upon occasion and one hundred Barrells of Porke & Beefe for there subsistence, which with that dayly Expected from N : Yorke will much Contribute for ye Safety of ye Place, since ye People here are so much Impoverished & Provisions so Scarce by ye out plantations Being Deserted yt ye forces cannot be maintained without a Supply
9 Yow are to acquaint ye sd Governor & Councill what cost & Charge we have been att, with. ye Indians, since these Revolutions to secure them to this government, & yt.it is Impossible to Proceed without ye assistance of &- - - - to be Employed yt way which shall be Exactly accompted for, what way Disposed & undoubtedly allowed by there Majes- ties
10 Yow are to strive to make them senceible how usefull ye 5 nations will be during ye warr with ye french of Canida & how Dangerous it would be to loose them at such a junc- ture & ye only means to induce them to be vigorous in ye Prosecution of ye warr will be by giving them a good ex- ample since they verry well know yt ye English here farr exceed them of Canida
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